Earlier this morning the Wiwi Jury—our in-house panel of music unprofessionals—caught a sled to Finland to review Lili Lambert’s #umk14 song “Let Me Take You There.” Did she have what we want and what we need? Read on to find out…

Angus: Well there was some enthusiastic head-bobbing from the jury listening to this and it’s understandable why. Lili seems at ease on the stage and her song at least stands out from the guitar-swamped crowd. Again this cut doesn’t feel like it’s been mixed quite right, something’s out of sync or doesn’t quite click, but the raw components look pretty promising.

Score: 9/10

Bogdan: This is one of my favourite UMK songs this year. That is despite the fact that Lili Lambert, although vocally proficient, lacks a bit of oomph (she’s no Margaret Berger, that’s for sure).  I agree with Deban: the first 40 seconds are meh, but then it delivers beautifully. And, notwithstanding the slightly cliche lyrics, “Let Me Take You There” ends up being a great dance track that could fill many a nightclub floor and, should it win the national selection, Finland needn’t worry about advancing to the Eurovision Final. It would be a safe choice.

Score: 9/10

Digitally mastered version

Deban: The trouble with layering raw vocals over electronic is that it may end up sounding like a mish-mash. Although Margaret Berger achieved this feat at the contest last year, her backing track was sparse in comparison to Lambert’s. The lead up to the chorus of ‘Let Me Take You There’ is boring. The track doesn’t really take off until 40 seconds in. However, when it does, the ‘lift off’ really smacks. There can only be one winner, and this year’s UMK is super-competitive. Regardless of whether Lili Lambert wins or loses the UMK gig, her track deserves a European-wide release, complete with a club remixes bundle.

Score: 7.5/10 

Katie: This is the only electropop song in the running for Finland this year, and it’s a pretty good one. The singer has a great voice that reminds me a little bit of Margaret Berger, but her look doesn’t really match the song. The song is cool and out-there but she looks like she’s ready to do the school-run. It doesn’t really go well together, but I still think this song would do very well in Copenhagen if it was sent.

Score: 8/10

Padraig: This is definitely one of the most danceable and catchiest songs of UMK 2014. But there’s nothing special about it. “Let Me Take You There” is dance pop by numbers and it’s easy to imagine it being sung by any amount of artists currently in the charts. This feeling of familiarity may prove advantageous in the semis but such a homogeneous track would be lost in the final.

Score: 6/10

Sami: Lili is great singer, but her performance for the jury was lame. The song is something you could hear from any hits radio station, but it’s not a bad thing. Sure it’s a little repetitive but I think it has some potential. I hope the live performance will be much better and will maybe have some dancing, as this is one of the most danceable songs in the contest.

Score: 7/10

Wiwi: Lili Lambert does not have what I want, nor does she have what I need. And the only place we are going is a karaoke bar. This song sounds like a watered-down attempt at Margaret Berger. I know it’s just a demo, but not even a miracle worker could turn this into a Eurovision winner. It’s slightly dated. However, Lili sings with conviction and clearly believes every word she is saying. She wants to take us somewhere. I’m just not sure if we wanna follow. Luckily she’s up against a weak field, so we’re willing to be coaxed along for the ride.

Score: 6.5/10

The Wiwi Jury Verdict: 7.57/10

You can read our latest #umk2014 reviews and see the latest standings by clicking here. You can also keep up with the latest Eurovision news and gossip by following the team from wiwibloggs.com on Twitter @wiwibloggs and by liking our Facebook page.

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anne
anne
10 years ago

Sounds very neutral and again like most Finnish and Estonian pop, it has very boring lyrics. They all speak in english in Helsinki – why are they such bad lyricists? Heh?

Alex
Alex
10 years ago

In regards to the song, she certainly has something to work with. A very catchy, rhythmic chorus drives the track. But her live vocals are underwhelming. It seems her vocal style doesn’t fit the song – it’s too smooth for a song that attempts to be a little bit “harder,” for lack of a better word. And the production isn’t strong either, while the verses ought to be rewritten for more impact. 5/10

D
D
10 years ago

Sometimes it sounds like an 80s song, but I like it.

Zolan
Zolan
10 years ago

The strength of this track is in its directness and simple identity; it is here to Get Down.
It works best when every part stands out bold and clear, unencumbered by fluff and ambiguity. To that end, Lili needs to look and sound as if she means business. It’s not IFYML — The vocals need power, but are currently a bit weak at the high end.
7/10

The remaster is a clueless muddle, and inferior to the live version.

paco
10 years ago

Me parce una propuesta original y singular,pero en mi modesta opinion tendria que pulirla mucho mas para que impacte en esc.Las comparaciones con Margeret no las comparto Margaret es mucha Margaret.